Library | Sustainable Finance Practices

Issue/sector focused research

General research and analysis that provides deep dives and insights into specific sustainability issues or industry sectors, addressing the current status, trends, risks, and opportunities for the issue but not specifically addressing a finance or business audience.

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Building fast. Falling short. Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2025–2026

United Nations Environment Programme
The 2025–2026 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction examines the sector's slow progress toward net-zero targets. Despite rising floor area and investment, building emissions and energy intensity remain off track. The report recommends urgent fossil-fuel phase-outs, upgraded building codes, and increased renewable energy deployment to meet 2030 milestones.
Research
18 May 2026

What is driving innovation in sustainability systems?

ISEAL Alliance
This report examines the key drivers of innovation in sustainability systems, including evolving legislation, data accessibility, and the need for inclusive value creation. It highlights case studies in palm oil, aquaculture, and cocoa, while providing strategic insights for scaling successful innovations through collaboration and robust business cases.
Research
27 April 2026

Life cycle assessment for cotton (country averages, organic, regenerative, recycled)

This research provides regional life cycle assessment data for cotton cultivation and recycling across key global regions. It identifies environmental hotspots, such as nitrogen fertiliser emissions and electricity consumption, while integrating additional sustainability criteria like soil health, biodiversity, and human rights through an LCA+ approach.
Research
24 March 2026

Morocco: Country private sector diagnostic

The World Bank
This World Bank Group report identifies policy actions to unlock private investment in Morocco's decentralised solar, low-carbon textiles, argan oil, and marine aquaculture sectors. It estimates these sectors could collectively catalyse US$7.4 billion in investment and create 166,000 jobs through targeted regulatory reforms and infrastructure improvements.
Research
9 March 2026

Miracle crops? Limited potential, serious risks: the environmental case for caution on intermediate and degraded-land biofuel crops in Europe

Transport and Environment
This T&E report evaluates intermediate and degraded-land crops for EU biofuels. It finds limited domestic supply potential and significant environmental risks, including emissions from fertilisers and land-use change. T&E recommends strict safeguards, a 70% greenhouse gas saving threshold, and prioritising these fuels for the aviation sector only.
Research
1 May 2026

Converging on disclosure

European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI)
This research examines the shifting landscape of corporate racial disclosures, noting a recent trend towards retrenchment. It argues that mandatory disclosure remains politically viable through interest-convergence. While progressives and conservatives disagree on racial equity goals, both can converge on the utility of transparency to monitor or challenge corporate behaviour.
Research
1 October 2026

The battle for plastic hegemony: the petrochemical historical bloc and the UN Global Plastics Treaty

This report examines the petrochemical historical bloc and its influence on the UN Global Plastics Treaty. It analyses how corporate-led partnerships, such as the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, use the circular economy concept to prioritise downstream waste management while protecting plastic production from restrictive upstream regulations.
Research
30 March 2026

Lifelong learning and skills for the future: Insights for Latin America and the Caribbean

International Labour Organisation (ILO)
This research brief explores lifelong learning and future skill requirements in Latin America and the Caribbean. It addresses structural challenges like high informality and rapid population ageing. Utilising big-data analytics and institutional surveys, the report provides recommendations for building inclusive, flexible learning systems aligned with technological and green transitions.
Research
3 May 2026

Battery circularity: Innovation trends for a future source of critical materials

International Energy Agency (IEA)
This report examines global innovation trends in battery circularity and critical metal refining. It highlights a surge in patenting activity since 2017, led by Asian companies. The analysis covers policy drivers, recycling technologies, and the role of secondary supplies in enhancing supply chain resilience and environmental sustainability.
Research
1 April 2026

Critical minerals – The power factor in commodities

DWS Group
This report explores critical minerals as a structural theme rather than a cyclical trend. It highlights that bottlenecks in downstream processing and high geographic concentration, particularly in China, create strategic vulnerabilities. For investors, value-chain-based assessments are prioritised over short-term price movements to navigate this lasting global economic transformation.
Research
28 May 2026

Rare earth elements: Pathways to secure and diversified supply chains

International Energy Agency (IEA)
This International Energy Agency report assesses global rare earth supply chains and vulnerabilities. It highlights China's dominance, the USD 6.5 trillion economic risk from potential disruptions, and provides eight strategic recommendations to achieve secure, diversified, and resilient supply through international coordination, increased investment, and innovation in recycling and demand-side technologies.
Research
4 May 2026

Progress report of China’s National Carbon Market (2026)

Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China
China’s 2026 carbon market report details the expansion of the National ETS into steel, cement, and aluminium sectors. It highlights record trading volumes, the entry into force of the Ecological and Environmental Code, and the use of AI-driven digital infrastructure to support carbon neutrality goals.
Research
12 September 2026

Key figures on European living conditions series

Eurostat
This benchmark series provides a comprehensive overview of European living conditions using statistical indicators. Produced by Eurostat, it covers income distribution, inequality, household characteristics, health, and disability across EU and EFTA countries. The series supports socio-economic analysis and policy development through clear visualisations and factual data.
Benchmark/series
17 September 2026

Mainstreaming biodiversity into climate finance: Lessons from the DFCD Origination Facility

This report examines how the Dutch Fund for Climate and Development (DFCD) Origination Facility integrates biodiversity into climate finance. Through diverse case studies, it highlights pathways for private investment, the necessity of landscape-level perspectives, and the role of technical assistance in making nature-positive business models bankable.
Research
22 October 2026

Lethal humidity and the systemic risks of climate change

This report examines the systemic threats posed by lethal humidity, where extreme heat and moisture exceed human physiological limits. Focusing on historical cases and Indonesia, it details cascading impacts on health, energy, and agriculture. It calls for urgent emissions reductions and improved global cooling strategies to mitigate escalating climate risks.
Research
12 May 2026

Digital sequence information (DSI) on genetic resources: A guide for financial institutions in the context of the Cali Fund

Finance for Biodiversity Foundation
This guide helps financial institutions assess portfolio exposure and engage with companies on digital sequence information (DSI). It outlines regulatory risks, including the Cali Fund and benefit-sharing under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, while providing practical tools for investor engagement across the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors.
Research
7 October 2026
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